A honey bee nucleus colony, often called a “nuc hive,” is a compact bee colony derived from a parent hive. It typically contains a small cohort of worker bees, a queen bee, and developing brood. Nuc hives are pivotal in apiary management for tasks like initiating new colonies, queen replacement, or wintering smaller colonies. They offer beekeepers a strategic means to rapidly establish or reinforce bee populations, optimizing hive management and productivity.
A nuc can come in different sizes, typically it is a 4 frame box.